The Federal

I came into this restaurant/bar for the first time today and I really loved how the atmosphere was. The atmosphere was not too loud and not too crowded. Menu: A bit pricier from what I am normally used to, and I had to ask the server for nonalcoholic drink options because there were none in the drink menu section. Food: I got a veggie burger and fries. I had no issues with the burger, and the fries that I ate had yummy seasonings, but they were a bit salty. I also had a small cup of barbecue sauce for the fries, but I didn’t like the taste of it. Staff: Nice and friendly. Parking: A little bit difficult at times when Federal Street is crowded.

We stopped in for lunch and the food was presented beautifully. The menu is pretty unique and very tasty. It was a little pricey for what was served, but the quality was fantastic.

We went for Christmas again this year. Totally with it even if you have to wait. Unlike any other christmas bar in the area. Great food, great service, great place. Parking sucks.

We have been here 1 hour waiting for food. When it first came aĺl burgers were barely luke warm. Taste was good, but it sat somewhere for some time. Asked for manager to let them know that this is not okay, since a 4 top & 2 top came after us and got their food and left and we still didnt have food. Manager was very excuse oriented. We didnt want anything more than an apology and understood for them to maybe fix this problem, but she was short, made excises and never apologized like we were crazy... we're not coming back. Fyi atmosphere was nice and place is very pretty and clean. Waitor was nice and tried to help but not sure where the issue happened because they couldn't answer. He did a good job.

The food took absolutely way too long. Once it did finally arrive, the cavatelli pasta tasted like they took Chef Boyardee right out of the can and microwaved it. Definitely not impressed for my first experience. I guess all the fuss is just about the decorations. If you want a place to go and take pictures for Facebook, that’s your place. If you’re looking for some fine dining, might want to try somewhere else.

We all went for “Miracle on Federal!” It was absolutely beautiful and the food and drinks were amazing! It’s just something to go and see during the holiday season! The atmosphere will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit! I can’t say enough about the friendly staff, and how delicious the food was! Be sure to make your reservations at least a month in advance to get the day and time you want! This place draws in the people for this! We loved it and will definitely do it again in the future! 🎄🎅🏼🎉

Went there for the Vday pop up. Atmosphere was awesome! A lot of effort went into it. The Roasted chicken dinner may have been the best chicken dinner I had at restaurant, I am Well traveled and dined so I have tasted many. Everything about it was fantastic! Another person at my table got it and thought so as well! 5 stars the the Chef, waitress, and the overall venue. Thank you for giving us a reason to pop out downtown!

Was so excited to do the Christmas event. The place was decorated beautiful. The drinks were good. The food was horrible. My husband got the lobster tacos with the asparagus. He said the asparagus was some of the worst he’s ever had. My daughter got a chicken dish with cheesy potatoes on the side. The cheesy potatoes were not cooked all the way. They were still hard. My son ordered off the kids menu pizza and a side of fries. The pizza never came out with our food. We had them take it off for a bill by the time it did come out we were almost done eating. My food was OK nothing to write home about. We also waited at least an hour for food to come. Overall it was a disappointing experience and I’m not sure why people fight over reservation for this place when there’s other places that are decorated just as nice with better food.

Stopped in for a quick bite after the show and was pleasantly surprised. Service at the bar was good. The drinks were good and my wife thought the Lavender Haze was excellent. We got the Hog Wild Waffle Fries which were great. Not real heavy, cooked perfectly and not loaded with grease. It was comfortable and they had a variety of sports on the TV's.

It is a fair bar amd restaurant in downtown Youngstown. I've stopped in a few times while working in the area for lunch. Kind of expensive for lunch, but the food is usually prepared well and they have good service every time I've been in. Last time I got the cuban. Not exactly what I expected, but it was pretty good. Pulled pork amd bacon on a good roll with mustard and Swiss cheese. I like that they offer broccoli as a side...

Stopped here for dinner on Saturday evening before attending an event at the Covelli Center and really enjoyed it! Staff was super friendly and food and drinks were pretty good! We started with the street corn nachos, which I think would have been better served warm. Also ordered a beer from the draft list and the "BAM" cocktail, which was refreshing. Smash burgers were definitely the highlight, and while the grilled cheese sandwiches as buns may be a monstrosity, it tasted so so good. Any version of their smash burger would be my recommendation.

3 of us went for a late lunch after the YSU Summer Arts Festival. We all got a smash burger and they were super! We got the side salad with the strawberry poppyseed dressing which was delicious and a very generous side. Definitely will go back. Looking forward to the Christmas bar once reservations are available. Service was perfect! We enjoyed the atmosphere and decor. Very comfortable vibe.​

Great atmosphere! Went for Christmas holiday with my wife and it was great food and decorations!

The food wasn't that good, very bland tasting. Service was acceptable. Ambiance was ok; there were a few drunk women. I gave it one more star because of the service.

Food service ambiance 10 plus. Fabulous dining experience . You have to try it. Young or old. Something for everyone

When in Youngstown Ohio State f you are in the downtown area stop in to the federal. A large clean well run restaurant and bar. The service was friendly and efficient,and the food was fresh, hot and beautifully presented. If you go be very hungry the portions are large. I had the grilled cheese burger. A juicy burger with two grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun, with a massive amount of crispy fresh fries. My wife got the chicken cranberry salad. A huge plate topped with juicy chicken My sister n like ked the wings he got. Overall highly recommend

We were a party of 7 girls that have been friends for over 50 years! We went a couple days after Valentine's and loved all the ambience. The food was great. We shared calamari, Brussel sprouts, and corn dip. All three were very good. I had the shrimp app for dinner and it was good, but I probably wouldn't order it again. A little too much breading. We all had fun trying all their drinks. They were delicious! Service was great and this was a fun dinner with good friends.

We were traveling cross country and looking for a place to eat late on a Thursday night. The place was pretty empty, which was nice for us. We had two impossible burgers, fries, pretzel bites, and a couple beers. The waitress was very nice, attentive, and courteous. The food was decent. There was karaoke going on as well. Seemed like a nice little neighborhood spot. Would recommend.

KILLER BURGERS! We were traveling through the area and I'm a sucker for a good burger. The Federal has good reviews - and now I personally know why. I opted for the John Wayne with burger. It was packed with flavor and the Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce topped off the burger amazingly.

Good smash burgers in downtown. Friendly staff, opens at 4pm. Double burger was a good pick. Huge portion of fries.

Was there last night for dinner. The Christmas decorations were amazing, the only reason for giving any stars. The food left much to be desired. I had a burger and fries, which used to be the best in town. Fries were clearly frozen and so was the burger, so not worth it for $18. I also had the jingle juice which tasted like straight cranberry juice, and the beer I had next was warm. I absolutely do not recommend, it's not worth the hype.

Delicious food and creative drinks. Great service! Christmas decorations were amazing!! A must see.

Drove from Pittsburgh with a local food and craft beer itinerary aeound Youngstown, Boardman, and columbiana itinerary. Arrived at 11 to a locked door. Someone came out a minute later and said they weren't open yet. I asked what time and they said 11 (which it already was). A few minutes later staff came out to start setting up the umbrellas for outdoor seating. They then went in at 1105 still not telling me I could come in. At 1110 I just left frustrated and found a new spot in Boardman.

Yelp does it again. We were headed toward Youngstown, and were jonesing for a good burger. Headed to Yelp to see, and lo and behold, The Federal was recommended. We mapped it out, and found parking a block away. Looking from the outside, there's a lovely patio with lights and outdoor tables, and then a double-door entryway that leads to deliciousness. Before the burgers, a bit of ambiance information: It seems like a sports bar, because there are SO MANY TVs at the bar. It seems like a hipster restaurant, because the walls are so blue, and feature metal sculpture. It seems like a club, because there's an enormous dance floor and even MORE enormous speakers. But head there on Wednesday, and you'll find some important information: All Signature Burgers are $6.99!! YES!! (Also, appetizers are $4.) So, we ordered. I got the John Wayne burger (unfortunately named, alas), which features bacon, cheese, bbq sauce, and 3 enormous onion rings. My husband got the Knox, which has lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles. He asked for onion rings to be substituted for the fries, and they did it...NO CHARGE. I've never seen this, and really love them for it! He also got fried pickles, which he loves. They were really, really salty. :( My burger was extremely delicious. The bbq sauce was runny, so the whole bottom bun was wet. No big deal, because THIS BURGER was GIANT!! The fries, which I got with garlic parm, were extraordinary. I was SO full. Like: Thanksgiving full. Yes. YUMx1,000,000. My husband's burger: also delicious. We weren't even hungry for breakfast the next day. But I will say this: I'd detour 100 miles to eat here again. It's that good!

Finding a place to eat on Sunday evening in Youngstown is already a challenge. I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary and that's exactly what I found. Food that is cooked well enough to enjoy. The broccoli was over cooked and under seasoned. For $5 I expected something more. It was great to see some non-red meat options with turkey and Beyond. There is an up charge but that is becoming more commonplace. The sweet potato fries were crispy and cooked well. The prices are great! And the serving size is substantial. The servers who weren't expecting a swarm of people to come in on a Sunday night handled the crew well and with a smile.

Amazing service and such festive decor! It made us so happy to just sit and chill and eat. I was a little bummed they only had their holiday menu available (in January) BUT the good was delicious! The desert was okay we had the chocolate cheesecake (just regular cheesecake with chocolate sauce). It wasn't my fave but it got the job done. If you're in Youngstown, Ohio go here for the burgers!!

Discovered this gem when traveling from Pittsburgh to Cleveland. It was perfect for a relaxing lunch and some Sunday football. They had a nice variety of beers to choose from and I recommend the grilled cheese. My wife enjoyed her burger immensely as well as her beer. Service was attentive and we did not wait long at all for our food and drinks.

Pleasantly surprised. Came in on a Thursday for lunch. Not many people in the joint, which has a local bar look and feel to it. Nothing special, somewhat divish, was a bit concerned about the menu. Found several salads on the menu to help promote my girlish figure. Ordered the Federal, and asked for grilled chicken instead of the bacon that came on it. The salad was fantastic! Baby greens, not iceberg, diced tomatoes and onions, a hard boiled egg, chicken breast, and some kind of magical red seasoning with a pile of blue cheese on it. Presentation was awesome and the flavors were really, really good. If I lived in Youngstown, I would be eating here all the time. Sat at the bar. Bartender was quick and friendly. Food came out quickly. A few TVs around to watch the Tribe game. Need to come back and have a beer after the afternoon meeting!

Great sports bar and grill in Youngstown, Ohio. Only a half mile from the Covelli Center. I had the Cajun Bleu Shroom burger. Awesome burger, juicy, blackened, with cheese, shrooms, grilled onions, Blue Cheese crumbles, bacon. A burger lover is happy! A side of crunchy, juicy onion rings dipped in Ranch dressing. Next time in town, I'll be back here again. Great service from Lily, our waitress, made for a great dining experience.

We went to the Miracle on Federal with another couple on Friday 11/8/24, traveling 180 miles roundtrip. I had traveled there a week before (180 miles round trip again) and paid for parking--a lot of effort to enjoy this place--with a different friend and had the new cavatalli dish. I mentioned to my fiance that he should get it. It was extremely loud this time in the restaurant and we were forced to raise our voices to hear each other. We had to ask for napkins and plates for the appetizer we ordered, we even had to get our server because she was not checking on us much at all and forgot the waters, too. My fiance did not even get a chance to mention his dish was not made properly. There was no chicken on it even though he asked for chicken (it comes with it automatically as stated in menu and from my experience the week before). We were so busy asking for basic things, and sorting out the check---the server had put most of our stuff on the other couple's check and vice versa and it was also very unbalanced in proportion so we had to have the server void us and recharge the checks. I would say the food was pretty expensive for what you get, $25 for some mediocre eggplant, $28 for pasta with no meat at their error, $18 for a bread bowl with dip, $10 for punch and sherbert inside a cup, amongst other things. Our friend got fries that were cold and overcooked. Also we had paid $10 for the reservation, which is fine, if you are getting decent service and not getting ripped off. I feel like the whole experience was not worth the money, and there were a ton of empty tables-- so what is up with the subpar service? I would hope for a $100 dinner + 20% tip (2 people) we would have better service. I think there needs to be some work done here and I would like a refund for the pasta. Thank you.

Limited menu, mostly sandwiches. How about some real entrees? I got a salad with grilled chicken, the chicken had an odd taste, like it had been heated in a microwave.

In town for a recent concert (yeah for Earth Wind & Fire!) so my wife, daughter and I popped in for a burger before the show. Wait was a little long, but they were pretty busy for a Friday night and once seated we were served efficiently and friendly. We were all pretty hungry so we decided to split an appetizer for the table and the ladies shared a burger. The green bean fries were well seasoned and crispy, served with a zippy sauce similar to spicy thousand island dressing. I ordered a standard-issue cheeseburger and the girls shared their version of a breakfast burger topped with hashbrowns, bacon and an egg. The burgers were both cooked a perfect medium rare and char-grilled on a flattop. I ordered the (upgraded) garlic parm fries...they were just crisp on the outside and full of flavor. The girls ordered onion rings and they were plump, crisp and came with the same dipping sauce as the green beans. Honestly, we were not expecting all that much from this place, but the burgers were top notch and reasonably priced. If we come back to town, I would certainly consider a return trip.

This is the second year this place has down a pop-up holiday bar but our first visit as last year all reservations were taken which should tell ya something. My wife made our reservation the day the pop-up bar was announced. We attended and let me tell ya, what a great experience. Downtown Youngstown is making a come back and it was packed. Different vendors set up everywhere and the holiday parade and Christmas tree lighting were taking place. We arrived early and walked around downtown before heading to The Federal at our reserved time of 6PM. We still had to wait approx. 10-15 minutes for our table however we had a cold beer while we waited. The decor was something special as you will see in the pictures. They had special holiday food and drink menus which had some good options. I had an R. Shea Brewing Candy Cane Milk Stout while we decided on apps which was damn tasty. We started off with a Gingerbread Pork Belly which was crispy pork belly tossed in a gingerbread hoisin sauce with sweet and sour napa cabbage slaw and pomegranate arils. This was a damn fine way to kick off our dinner as the flavors just worked. I was in the mood for a handheld so I went with The Italian. This warm hoagie roll was stacked with Prosciutto, capicola, hard salami, arugula, parmesan cheese, tomato and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. It was simply delicious and the portion generous. I sampled my wife's Chicken Caprese Milanese which was out of this world delicious. Everybody in our group was pleased with their meal and drink selections. Our young daughters had the hot chocolate bombs that came with glass mugs to keep. This was such a wonderful night out from start to finish. We definitely will return. Ok

The federal has been killing it lately with specialty menus and decor for events. We went for Valentine's Day and loved the drinks and food. The calamari was the best calamari I have ever had. It's a must try. Make reservations whenever they have special events, it's worth it!!

The hangover burger was absolutely amazing! What made my experience and that of my family's ad well was our server! Peyton was absolutely wonderful! Extremely attentive; friendly and a killer smile! You'd be lucky to have a server as wonderful as her! Oh yeah and the food was really good too! Thank you for such an awesome experience. It was my first time in Youngstown and the federal was a great was to close my trip!

My sister and I are in the area for a family visit from out of state. We stopped for lunch at The Federal. Our server, Grace, was fantastic! She was so friendly and had perfect timing! We both had the chicken and green sandwiches. We both agree that it was the absolute best sandwich we have ever had n our lives!! We will be back! Thanks, Grace! Dee from Daytona, Fla. Sherrie from Murrells Inlet, SC

Well, don't just a book by its cover! We were at YSU for a swim meet and found this place on Yelp bc it was close. Walked in and we were the only ones there.. which sometimes raises a red flag. After reviewing the menu, we decided to just order apps and grab something closer to home bc we were skeptical. Apps came out (fried pickles and pretzels)-and they were amazing. I know it's difficult to mess up fried food, but everything was so good! We decided to give the menu another glance and have no regrets! I ordered the prime rib sandwich and it was very tender. Also ordered a side salad w the house dressing and the dressing was a balsamic and really good. Husband ordered the John Wayne burger and he said it was delicious. The portion was generous, too! Overall - a great place for lunch. Not sure what this is like during the week w school, etc... but food was good. Had a little bit of that "college bar" smell/cleanliness, but if you can overlook that - it's a good place for lunch. Gave it 4 stars bc waitress was pretty unenthused to be there and cleanliness wasn't all that great.

A great burger spot in downtown Youngstown! Located right near the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater, this restaurant is perfect to grab dinner before a concert. We were seated right away and the waitress came by quickly to take our order, great that the staff kept in mind many of the patrons were hoping to finish dinner in time for the concert. I ordered the special of the day, Southwest Burger with fries. It was delicious! The burger patty was freshly pressed with ground beef, not fatty, and cooked to perfection to still have juicy flavor but not overly pink inside. They piled it high with lettuce, onion, and tomato, with a green green chili pepper on top. Finished off with cheddar cheese and a Chipotle ranch dressing. Every bite was flavorful and blended well with all the ingredients. Even the fries were delicious, crisp, and seasoned to perfection. I was very happy I chose to go here for dinner! I got a fantastic meal, made it on time to the concert, and the bill was very reasonable. Highly recommend checking it out!

You have to try it when they have some of their special event days. We have gone for the valentines bar as well as for the Christmas bar and they did not disappoint. Great food and cool specialty drinks. The family that runs the place are awesome as well!!! Make reservations or you'll be sorry.

They have one of the best burgers in the area in my opinion. That said, everything I've had has been good. It's not the most affordable place but I can't imagine the rent in downtown Youngstown is low.

Good food good venuei had the spicy fried shrimp as a starter and they were amazing..I wasn't to impressed by the chicken wings..long wait for it not being busy.

The burghers here are fantastic!! The hangover burger is my favorite burger I've ever had. However, the service is lacking, and I feel that you do not get a large enough portion of fries.

I grew up in Youngstown Ohio I have lived many places in United States . I will tell you Youngstown always has great food ! The Federal did not disappoint!!! Love the bar and the burgers were great !

Enjoyed our visit yesterday afternoon following dance competition. I had the Grilled Cheese Burger and as suspected I am still not hungry 24 hours later. The best tasting sandwich in a while, and a clear hunger buster. Nice job Federal team!

Really good food on brunch menu,better servings than most could eat. Good prices also !

Was in town for a concert. Went in with a group of four. A couple of empty tables but told it is 45 minute wait, unless we want to eat at the bar. So we go to the bar. By the way, none of the tables are ever seated. We order apps and a meal. Then we are told food was a 45 minute wait. Also, all happy hour was canceled because ... they were busy. Not really. So we order and settle in. 1 hour and 15 minutes later, the food shows up. Credit where credit is due, the food was really good. Wait staff was very polite. My issue, is the management. The whole thing was just silly. Canceling happy hour, not staffing on a concert night, having empty tables but forcing people to a bar, delays in food. Just a bad time all around.

My girlfriend and I have eaten here twice when visiting Youngstown, the food is really good, and the prices aren't terrible. Word of advice... Go before all the YSU kids get there in the evening. Otherwise it gets really noisy.

Awesome food. Not sure if they are keeping up with the Bar Rescue makeover, but the good was absolutely delicious. My wife and I both had the Make it Yourself burgers witgout a complaint. Unless the burger being too big can register as a complaint! Their fries with a little Malt Vuneger arw to die for - they have to be fresh. Mary was nice and attentive. Beer was cold and selection was diverse. The one thing is it could use a deep clean and a little paint. I recommend going here for a burger and a beer.

John Wayne Burger was great. Interesting Cocktail Menu. Friendly Staff. Quick Service.

Great place to hang out and have small get togethers with friends or family! I love it there. Food is always great my favorite meal is the shrimp tacos and margaritas they never disappoint

So we came in for lunch yesterday and to be honest will probably NOT be back. The "hostess" was not welcoming at all. Looked up from her phone after we had been there for a minute. Then only asked "how many" and was reading her phone AS SHE WALKED US TO THE TABLE!!!! Then proceeded to go back to her post on the stool at the front with her leg up and on her phone. Absolutely terrible service. Food was mediocre. Wanted the taco Tuesday tacos that were featured on advertising but then were told we could not get them until after 4?? Why are you advertising them then??????

I have to say, I was very happy with the service, the ambiance and the food. I'm love mozzarella sticks and I can't complain about the ones I got but my entree is where it's at! The friggin grilled cheese burger... Ho.Lee.Shit. A gosh darn burger served with grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun? I hit have I never made this at home? Please eat this but make sure you have an appointment with a cardiologist, some blood work and an ekg scheduled as well.

Was in Youngstown this past weekend for a youth sports event with my family, and we ate here on two separate occasions. Service was terrific both times, and there was enough on the menu to satisfy everyone's different palates/food restrictions. Will definitely stop back the next time we are in town!

We ordered the chicken and greens sandwich. Absolutely delicious. The roasted peppers added such amazing flavor. Highly recommend

Walked in and thought it was a cool little place. After hearing it was on bar rescue we decided to try it. Food selection is limited. Buffalo chicken sandwich was soggy chicken strips. Definitely below average. The burger tasted good but both people who ordered the bugger got very very sick and vomited all night. We have been here before at night and the club scene is nice but I wouldn't recommend the food at all. 2 stars for this place simply because it is a fun place at night on the weekend. I would give our server "Jenny from the block" 5 stars. Her service was awesome. Super friendly and on top of things.

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to get down to The Federal. We watched the Bar Rescue on this because we used to love to eat at The Lemon Grove. I was so sad when Jacob closed it but after eating here this past Sunday night I totally forgive him. Lol! It's not easy to find a good place to eat at 8 on a Sunday night downtown but this is def the place to go. We walked in and were seated immediately. The hostess was really friendly and our waitress Kiara came over right away and she was also extremely friendly. I loved how personable she was and how she was so enthusiastic about the menu. I chose the prime rib sandwich and she told me I had picked the best meal at the table. And she was right but we will get to that in a second. So we each ordered a different item. Christina had the John Wayne burger, Rhyan had the Hangover Burger, Chara had a build your own turkey burger and like I said I had the prime rib sandwich. Rhyan, Christina and I all had the garlic Parm fries as our side and Chara had regular fries. I have never had a better prime rib sandwich. It was served like a French dip and had loads of shaved prime rib, mushrooms and sautéed onions. I had asked for no onions but they accidentally left them on and I'm glad because they were not loaded with them and they were so well cooked it was like a French onion soup type onion on the sandwich and just melted in my mouth. Their sides of fries are extremely generous and they were Seasoned just right. I highly recommend this sandwich. Rhyan loved her hangover burger. She took half home and said it heated up the next day just as good as it was the night before. Christina gave the John Wayne burger two thumbs up and hey both agreed the garlic parm fries were amazing as well. Chara did not care for her turkey burger. The center was very mushy and it actually had small chucks of onions in it and was a turn off. The chef came out to apologize and was sooooo kind about it. He made her a huge plate of fries to make up for it and she was thrilled! We really enjoyed our dinner and loved the staff. We cannot wait to go back!

Whenever I hear about someone looking for a new restaurant to try I always recommend The Federal. They have literally created the perfect burger!!